Wanna Go Shopping With Me?

(No, I'm not going to leave it there and plant flowers in it!)

I love old houses. Really, I do. I don't like old appliances or fixtures, but I do love old houses with tons o' character and a history of their own.

So yesterday the circa 1959 toilet in the main bathroom started running, squealing, and—ultimately—not flushing. I took the day off today to bring in a plumber. He looked at the old toilet, a Case, and told me the parts would be very hard to find, and would probably cost more than a new toilet. So I rescheduled him to come back in the afternoon, and headed out to Lowe's, 10%-off coupon in hand.

I quickly found the toilet that I thought would be a suitable replacement. Then I wandered through the washer and dryer department, after realizing my 40-year-old dryer is not drying the laundry. Oh, and my washer, that Ty and Jaci let me take from their stash of old, unused appliances? It makes horrible noises and doesn't have a gentle-enough cycle to handle my silk yardages and cashmere sweaters.

The salesman pointed me to a 12-months-same-as-cash deal. Then he helped me find the right appliances, not the GE model that Consumer Reports had encouraged me to buy. Twenty minutes later I walked out of Lowe's, the proud owner of a new Bosch front-loading washer and dryer (to be installed next Saturday) and a new toilet.

Hannah Homeowner, that's my name. Spending money, that's my game. (Ugh. Let the games end!)